Walking With a Colleague

Walk location: Clergy colleague's neighborhood
Walk time: lunch time
Skies: hazy and warm
Temperature: 78 degrees
Steps: 8,000

I am accustomed to lunch meetings with clergy colleagues as a way to remain involved in other leaders' lives. I have listened to and shared many experiences over lunch with others over the years, but today was the first time I have had the opportunity to do so in the context of a walk. My colleague suggested a trip to the "Y," but I have an aversion to inside exercise facilities (maybe that will change when winter comes; maybe not), since what I enjoy most about my walking commitment is being outside and embracing the world. Anyway, I counter-proposed a walk, and he accepted.

We met at his church and spent the next 75 minutes engaged in spirited, pleasant conversation. We shared the joys of pastoral life, as well as some of the irritations. We chatted about denominational politics and processes, neither of which either of us have much time or interest for. It is always encouraging to spend time with someone who understands the nature of the pastoral calling and who has a passion from God to fully engage it.

As we walked and talked the time ebbed away; it didn't even seem much like exercise. By the time we were finished, several thousand steps later, I was refreshed both physically and spiritually.

This is a practice I would highly recommend to others! There is a reason, other than the historical one, that Jesus spent so much of his time walking and talking with his disciples.